An Unsuitable Suitor

When an unsuitable gentleman appears to court a baron's daughter, it's an older sister's duty to stand in his way. And, of course, not fall in love with him herself.

Matilda "Mattie" Rayment is a woman embroiled in a delicate mission: to ensure her vivacious younger sister, Beatrice, makes a prosperous match before the curtain falls on this Season. Their family's waning reputation and looming financial ruin add urgency to her quest. When Oliver Bolton, a newly minted gentleman and nephew to their family's steward, shows an interest in Beatrice, Mattie's plans teeter on the brink of unraveling.

Oliver Bolton has harbored a distant infatuation for Miss Beatrice Rayment, but has always kept his feelings at bay, hemmed in by the limits of his social standing. Now the owner of a modest estate, Oliver finds himself in possession of a newly minted ticket to society's intricate dance. At last, he can pursue the woman of his dreams—except, it seems,...